Overview
Hepatitis C is a liver infection that can cause permanent damage to the liver. Hepatitis C is the virus that causes it. The condition affects around 2.4 million people in the United States. However, because it has minimal symptoms, the majority of people are unaware. The virus is transmitted by the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person.
Signs/Symptoms
Hepatitis C affects a large number of persons who have no symptoms. However, you may notice the following symptoms between 2 weeks and 6 months after the virus has entered your bloodstream:
- Fever
- Dark Urine
- Joint pain
- Jaundice
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
Causes
When blood or body fluids contaminated with the hepatitis C virus enter your bloodstream as a result of contact with an infected individual, hepatitis C spreads.
The virus can infect you via a variety of sources, including:
- A mother can pass it on to her child during birth.
- Sharing needles and injectable medicines
- Having sex, particularly if you have HIV or another STD, multiple partners, or rough sex
- Getting a tattoo or piercing with dirty instruments
- Personal care goods such as toothbrushes, razor blades, and nail clippers should be shared.
Treatment
Chronic Hepatitis C infections can lead to cirrhosis, Liver failure and liver cancer for which liver transplant is a definitive cure.
Antiviral medications are used to treat viruses.
Antiviral medicines used to treat hepatitis C infection and help the virus leave your body. The goal of treatment is to have no traces of the hepatitis C virus in your body for at least 12 weeks after you finish it.
Liver Transplantation
Liver transplantation may be a possibility if you’ve experienced major problems from chronic hepatitis C infection. The surgeon removes your dysfunctional liver and replaces it with a healthy liver during a liver transplant. The majority of liver transplants come from deceased donors, although a small proportion comes from living donors who give a part of their liver.
Vaccinations
Although there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, your doctor would most likely advise you to get vaccines for hepatitis A and B. These are two different viruses that can cause liver damage and make chronic hepatitis C more difficult to be treated.
When to seek a doctor?
You know when you are suffering from any of the above symptoms there is a need to consult a doctor. When consulted under 24 Hours, the treatment will be provided at its best.
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